Add Cloudflare Allows CNAME For Apex Domain as a Devops TIL

README.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ working across different projects via [VisualMode](https://www.visualmode.dev/).
 
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-_1789 TILs and counting..._
+_1790 TILs and counting..._
 
 See some of the other learning resources I work on:
 
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ If you've learned something here, support my efforts writing daily TILs by
 - [Check For Cached Site Assocation File For iOS](devops/check-for-cached-site-association-file-for-ios.md)
 - [Check The Status of All Services](devops/check-the-status-of-all-services.md)
 - [Check The Syntax Of nginx Files](devops/check-the-syntax-of-nginx-files.md)
+- [Cloudflare Allows CNAME For Apex Domain](devops/cloudflare-allows-cname-for-apex-domain.md)
 - [Connect To An RDS PostgreSQL Database](devops/connect-to-an-rds-postgresql-database.md)
 - [Default Rails Deploy Script On Hatchbox](devops/default-rails-deploy-script-on-hatchbox.md)
 - [Determine The IP Address Of A Domain](devops/determine-the-ip-address-of-a-domain.md)

devops/cloudflare-allows-cname-for-apex-domain.md

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# Cloudflare Allows CNAME For Apex Domain
+
+If you want to set up a custom root (apex) domain with an app hosting provider
+[like
+Heroku](https://devcenter.heroku.com/articles/custom-domains#add-a-custom-root-domain),
+you're going to need to work with a DNS provider that supports the non-standard
+`ALIAS` records (or something equivalent).
+
+In my case, I have my domain registered with Cloudflare. Cloudflare supports
+this kind of CNAME lookup of an apex domain through [_CNAME
+flattening_](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/cname-flattening/).
+
+Unlike other registrars that use a separate `ALIAS` record concept, Cloudflare
+allows you to set up a specialized `CNAME` record. Go into the DNS settings for
+the domain of interest, click "Add Record", and then select `CNAME`. From there,
+instead of entering a traditional subdomain like `www`, you put the `@` symbol
+which tells Cloudflare that this is a record for the apex domain. That record
+will still point to a target like `abc123.herokudns.com` as a more traditional
+`CANME` would do.